Tension in Haryana after church is vandalised, 14 booked for rioting

Chandigarh: Tension prevailed in a village in Haryana’s Hisar district on Monday after an under-construction church was attacked and vandalised by miscreants and the idol of a Hindu god was placed inside the premises. [caption id=“attachment_2155685” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AFP[/caption] Police officials said on Monday that 14 people were booked for rioting, damaging place of worship, theft and promoting enmity following a complaint from the church priest in Kaimri village in Hisar district, 260km from Chandigarh. No arrests have been made so far. The attackers allegedly damaged the cross at the church and took away some other items. The priest told media that certain activists of the Bajrang Dal and others had threatened him earlier. He alleged that the same people could be behind the attack on the church. “I was threatened by Bajrang Dal activists and other locals last month,” the priest, Subhash Chand, said. Haryana has a BJP government since October last year. Local residents in the village alleged that the priest was trying to construct the church despite the fact that there was no Christian in the entire village. IANS